There is only one person in everyones life they truly could never have been without. The Mother is vital to all of us and the survival of the human race. While the mother comes in many different forms, from the literal person from whom a person came forth to a maternal, womanly influence, to a kindhearted nurturer, the effect of the mother on our society is undeniable and important.
The Mother is a diverse archetype and its characteristics range from culture to culture. The main feature all bearers of the Mother archetype maintain is the persona of a nurturer. The nurturing takes shape in many different forms, from forcefully making a child or student to grow to coddling the young. Another important aspect is the aspect of creation. Mothers create life and shape their children into what they will be. The Mother holds great power and importance, as she shapes the world through her children.
Mothers themselves vary in type as well. They range from the straight-forward, typical mother who nurtures and cares through her children throughout adversity. Another popular mother archetype motif is the Fairy Godmother, who mainly features in stories where the birth mother is absent for whatever reason. A prominent mother in folk lore everywhere is Mother Earth, who often serves not only as assistance but as a guide to the lost as well. These mothers are only a few examples of what the mother archetype can pertain to, from the struggling teen mother to the tough, supportive working mother, to our own mothers.
Greek:
Thetis
Thetis, a Nereid, was prophesied to bear a son greater than his father. Zeus, though he had held interest for her, saw her as a threat, and therefore had Thetis marry a mortal man in the hopes that his son would carry no possibility of being greater than the greatest. Thetis bore the son, named Achilles -as in Achilles' tendon- and dipped him in the River Styx in an attempt to make him just as strong as the gods, for whoever is touches the River Styx will become immortal. Only one point on Achilles' body remained human, the ankle that Thetis held him by. What Thetis wished for was for her son to become great, as those that fit the Mother archetype do in one form or another. This mother cared for her son and wanted him to be victorious and safe in battle. World Mythology:
Tara, Buddhist Mother Goddess
Lauma
Lauma is a mythical faery often depicted in Baltic myths. She often is said to have originally been a sky spirit, but her compassion brought her to Earth so that she could share our fate. Often, it is said that when she watches over a mother and her child, if the mother dies or gives up, Lauma acts as the spiritual mother. She spins the cloth of life for the child, determining the difficulty of your life in a nurturing fashion. She cares for childrenand helps those in need, fitting with the archetypal aspects of love and caring. She fits the archetype namely for her supreme care for all and her intense kindness toward children.
Literature:
Papa
In the book The Book Theif, by Markus Zusak, the stern, gruff mother does not fit the mother archetype, but the kind, gentle father does. This father, referred to by his foster-child Liesel as Papa, provides a light in Liesel's world by teachering her how to read every night after she is woken by nightmares and by caring for her perpetually, along with the Jew named Max that they house, despite the fact they live in Nazi Germay. Papa cares for all and understands Liesel and others, providing music to everyone in their town via his constant companion, his accordion. He fits the archetype of the mother perfectly despite the fact that he is a male. The juxtaposition of his disposition and the typical archetype of the strict, oftentimes mean father is an interesting use of literary devices by Markus Zusak.
Sally Jackson
Sally Jackson is the mother of Percy Jackson in The Lightning Thief. She cares only about her son's well being, that he succeeds is of little importance to her. She cares so much about him that she even sacrifices herself to save his life. Percy, as a result of her undying love, forms an unbreakable bond that drives Percy to the Underworld to save her. For example, when Percy returns home with his report card full of F's, she does not worry over that. Instead, she asks how his year has been, not caring that he failed out of school for the umpteenth time. She bakes him food that is blue simply to prove her greedy, self-centered boyfriend wrong, and she and Percy have a great time laughing about it. She even turns her boyfriend to stone so that she and Percy can live a carefree life.
Real Life:
Deborah Phelps
Deborah Phelps took her hyperactive, inquisitive young son and helped him channel his energy positively. Her patient and flexible approach allowed Michael Phelps the opportunity to develop focus and become the world’s fastest swimmer on his terms. Deborah felt conflicted about how to best treat Michael’s ADHD, but listen to her son and respected his decision to go off medication when he was only ten years old. As a single parent, Deborah successfully managed the time and energy required for an Olympic athlete while holding down a job and raising two other children. She earned the admiration of her son, as well as American viewers, while sharing in his dreams and accomplishments in her understated way in Beijing in 2008.
Michelle Obama Michelle Obama embodies the American dream; she’s intelligent, well educated, has a distinguished work career and appears to be transferring these traits to her two young daughters. She knows how to blend love and discipline affectively with her daughters. Although they have every privilege as a first family, she still requires them to make their own beds and puts homework above play. Obama and her family face the challenge living in a fishbowl with constant media scrutiny, yet she creates a normal childhood environment for Sasha and Malia. Michelle Obama’s parental skills deserve praise as parenting is difficult under the best of circumstances and she handles the public attention with a great degree of skill.
Pop Culture: Lynette Scavo
Lynette Scavo is a character on Desperate Housewife that stopped her career to become a full time housewife, and spends time with her children. She has had made many bad choices in the past and now is in a certain depression stage of dealing with her failures. She sometimes loses complete control, teetering on the edge of a so called "abyss" that she fears she will fall into. Her relation to the mother archetype is the fact that no matter how depressed she becomes, she always tries to keep her children happy, and that love for her children which consumed her, making her want to stay at home and care for them. Her absolute love for her children has made it so that she cannot purposely make her children unhappy, making her an archetypal mother.
Kitty, from That 70's Show
Other:
Mother Mary
Perhaps the most widely known and used example of the mother archetype is the Mother Mary. Mother of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, she is portrayed as a kind, gentle figure that holds fast in her faith and continual guidance and support of her child, in true mother-archetype fashion. However she also fits the maiden archetype in the way that she is demure, a humble servant of God, and a virgin, especially in the beginning of the nativity story. After she gave birth to Jesus, her role as the Mother became more prominent, and it is said that the teaching of Jesus reflect Mary's influence in elements such as family values and the importance of remaining child-like.
Rhea think-map can be viewed [[file:localhost/C:/Users/David L. Chien/Pictures/Pictures/Mother_Archetype_1.png|here]].
The Mother
There is only one person in everyones life they truly could never have been without. The Mother is vital to all of us and the survival of the human race. While the mother comes in many different forms, from the literal person from whom a person came forth to a maternal, womanly influence, to a kindhearted nurturer, the effect of the mother on our society is undeniable and important.The Mother is a diverse archetype and its characteristics range from culture to culture. The main feature all bearers of the Mother archetype maintain is the persona of a nurturer. The nurturing takes shape in many different forms, from forcefully making a child or student to grow to coddling the young. Another important aspect is the aspect of creation. Mothers create life and shape their children into what they will be. The Mother holds great power and importance, as she shapes the world through her children.
Mothers themselves vary in type as well. They range from the straight-forward, typical mother who nurtures and cares through her children throughout adversity. Another popular mother archetype motif is the Fairy Godmother, who mainly features in stories where the birth mother is absent for whatever reason. A prominent mother in folk lore everywhere is Mother Earth, who often serves not only as assistance but as a guide to the lost as well. These mothers are only a few examples of what the mother archetype can pertain to, from the struggling teen mother to the tough, supportive working mother, to our own mothers.
Greek:
Thetis
Thetis, a Nereid, was prophesied to bear a son greater than his father. Zeus, though he had held interest for her, saw her as a threat, and therefore had Thetis marry a mortal man in the hopes that his son would carry no possibility of being greater than the greatest. Thetis bore the son, named Achilles -as in Achilles' tendon- and dipped him in the River Styx in an attempt to make him just as strong as the gods, for whoever is touches the River Styx will become immortal. Only one point on Achilles' body remained human, the ankle that Thetis held him by. What Thetis wished for was for her son to become great, as those that fit the Mother archetype do in one form or another. This mother cared for her son and wanted him to be victorious and safe in battle.
World Mythology:
Lauma
Lauma is a mythical faery often depicted in Baltic myths. She often is said to have originally been a sky spirit, but her compassion brought her to Earth so that she could share our fate. Often, it is said that when she watches over a mother and her child, if the mother dies or gives up, Lauma acts as the spiritual mother. She spins the cloth of life for the child, determining the difficulty of your life in a nurturing fashion. She cares for childrenand helps those in need, fitting with the archetypal aspects of love and caring. She fits the archetype namely for her supreme care for all and her intense kindness toward children.
Literature:
Papa
In the book The Book Theif, by Markus Zusak, the stern, gruff mother does not fit the mother archetype, but the kind, gentle father does. This father, referred to by his foster-child Liesel as Papa, provides a light in Liesel's world by teachering her how to read every night after she is woken by nightmares and by caring for her perpetually, along with the Jew named Max that they house, despite the fact they live in Nazi Germay. Papa cares for all and understands Liesel and others, providing music to everyone in their town via his constant companion, his accordion. He fits the archetype of the mother perfectly despite the fact that he is a male. The juxtaposition of his disposition and the typical archetype of the strict, oftentimes mean father is an interesting use of literary devices by Markus Zusak.
Sally Jackson
Sally Jackson is the mother of Percy Jackson in The Lightning Thief. She cares only about her son's well being, that he succeeds is of little importance to her. She cares so much about him that she even sacrifices herself to save his life. Percy, as a result of her undying love, forms an unbreakable bond that drives Percy to the Underworld to save her. For example, when Percy returns home with his report card full of F's, she does not worry over that. Instead, she asks how his year has been, not caring that he failed out of school for the umpteenth time. She bakes him food that is blue simply to prove her greedy, self-centered boyfriend wrong, and she and Percy have a great time laughing about it. She even turns her boyfriend to stone so that she and Percy can live a carefree life.
Real Life:
Deborah Phelps
Deborah Phelps took her hyperactive, inquisitive young son and helped him channel his energy positively. Her patient and flexible approach allowed Michael Phelps the opportunity to develop focus and become the world’s fastest swimmer on his terms. Deborah felt conflicted about how to best treat Michael’s ADHD, but listen to her son and respected his decision to go off medication when he was only ten years old. As a single parent, Deborah successfully managed the time and energy required for an Olympic athlete while holding down a job and raising two other children. She earned the admiration of her son, as well as American viewers, while sharing in his dreams and accomplishments in her understated way in Beijing in 2008.
Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama embodies the American dream; she’s intelligent, well educated, has a distinguished work career and appears to be transferring these traits to her two young daughters. She knows how to blend love and discipline affectively with her daughters. Although they have every privilege as a first family, she still requires them to make their own beds and puts homework above play. Obama and her family face the challenge living in a fishbowl with constant media scrutiny, yet she creates a normal childhood environment for Sasha and Malia. Michelle Obama’s parental skills deserve praise as parenting is difficult under the best of circumstances and she handles the public attention with a great degree of skill.
Pop Culture:
Lynette Scavo
Lynette Scavo is a character on Desperate Housewife that stopped her career to become a full time housewife, and spends time with her children. She has had made many bad choices in the past and now is in a certain depression stage of dealing with her failures. She sometimes loses complete control, teetering on the edge of a so called "abyss" that she fears she will fall into. Her relation to the mother archetype is the fact that no matter how depressed she becomes, she always tries to keep her children happy, and that love for her children which consumed her, making her want to stay at home and care for them. Her absolute love for her children has made it so that she cannot purposely make her children unhappy, making her an archetypal mother.
Other:
Mother Mary
Perhaps the most widely known and used example of the mother archetype is the Mother Mary. Mother of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, she is portrayed as a kind, gentle figure that holds fast in her faith and continual guidance and support of her child, in true mother-archetype fashion. However she also fits the maiden archetype in the way that she is demure, a humble servant of God, and a virgin, especially in the beginning of the nativity story. After she gave birth to Jesus, her role as the Mother became more prominent, and it is said that the teaching of Jesus reflect Mary's influence in elements such as family values and the importance of remaining child-like.
Rhea think-map can be viewed [[file:localhost/C:/Users/David L. Chien/Pictures/Pictures/Mother_Archetype_1.png|here]].
Citations:
Billings, Angela. "The Mother Archetype Research 1." Trasitional Healing: Facilitating Life's Transitions. Transitional Healing, 21 Mar. 2007. Web. 15 Sept. 2009. <http://transitionalhealing.wordpress.com/2007/03/21/the-archetype-of-mother/>.
China Daily/ The Olympian. "Always Here for You- Deborah Phelps." China Daily. N.p., 16 Aug. 2008. Web. 19 Sept. 2009.
<http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-08/16/>
Daumier, Honoré. Thetis dipping Achilles in the Styx River. 1842. JPEG file.
<http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/RM/ThetisDaumier.jpg>
"Encyclopedia: Lauma." NationMaste. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2009.
<http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Lauma>.
Finn-Arnold, Lizabeth. "Mom and Pop Culture: Confessions of a Desparate Housewife." Literary Mama. Lizabeth Finn-Arnold, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2009. <http://www.literarymama.com/columns/momandpopculture/archives/000470.html>.
FreeWeb.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2009.
<http://www.freewebs.com/tedglines/Mother%20Mary.jpg>.
Gill, N. S. "Greek Nymph Thetis." About.com: Ancient/Classical. University of Pheonix, etc., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2009.
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/achilles/g/Thetis.htm.
IrelandsOwn.net. I, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2009.
<http://irelandsown.net/faerie2.gif>.
Lynette Scavo. 20th century. JPEG file.
<http://static.tvfanatic.com/images/gallery/felicity-huffman-as-lynette-scavo.jpg>
"Mary, the Mother of Jesus." cptryon.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2009.
<http://www.cptryon.org/compassion/mary/mothertext.html>.
Newton-Small, Jay. "Michelle Obama's Savvy Sacrifice." Time. N.p., 15 Aug. 2008. Web. 20 Sept. 2009.
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1835686,00.html.
Rocco, John. The Lightning Thief. 2005. JPEG file.
<http://kamimgarcia.typepad.com/.a/6a010536b2044c970b0120a548f455970c-800wi>
SavoyMusicCenter.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2009.
<http://www.savoymusiccenter.com/hohner_german_style.jpg>.
"Tara: Buddhist Goddess in Green and White." ReligionFacts.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2009.
<http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/deities/tara.htm>.